A home-worker’s resolutions

I originally formulated this as a blog post, but I think it needs to go on the permanent record here on the web bit of the site!

As I move into full self-employment, I feel there are a few goals I need to have in order to maintain my sanity / ability to live in society. I’m only being a bit tongue-in-cheek here. As a classic introvert, I recharge by being on my own. I’m good at motivating myself, and hard-working. But I need to do these things. And maybe more! If you have any ideas to add, please post a comment!

I will get out of the house every day, in daylight if humanly possible

I will speak to someone other than myself and my partner/housemate/spouse/parent/child/sibling [delete as applicable: I want to be inclusive here!] every day, even if it’s just an email conversation (but I’ll try to make it a face-to-face conversation)

On at least 4 out of 5 weekdays I will eat a proper lunch. By a “proper lunch” I mean something that has more than one food group, and some fruit and/or vegetables, and is not constituted primarily of cereal

This lunch will be consumed by 2 p.m., every day, at absolute latest

I will leave the phone alone at mealtimes

I will wash up and reuse my mug. I will not use all of the mugs in the house in one or two days

I will go to an event outside the house at least once a week: networking, meeting a fellow freelancer friend for lunch etc. This does not include social occasions with friends or aforementioned partner/housemate/whatever

I will keep up with my friends’ doings

I will endeavour to stop work at 7 in the evening, and at midday at the weekends (unless I have urgent projects to complete)

I will spend more time with my aforementioned partner/spouse/whatever.

I will spend at least a little time every day doing something I love (that’s not my job, which I may well love too)

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Well, Liz….if you can accomplish all those things you are doing beautifully. I think that list is comprehensive enough! That said, Harrowsmith ran an article a while back on “Telecommuting” (basically, the 10 year old term for working from home) and I’ll dig it out to see if there are any useful nuggets. Cheers, M

Thank you – I’m not doing too badly so far! I think it still is telecommuting if you work for another company from home, but not if the “commute” part of your job is “walking up the stairs to the study” like mine is!

An excellent and very necessary list! I’ve worked from home since 2007, first as a full-time, on-staff Managing Editor and now as a freelance editor and writer. It can be dangerously easy to fall into the habit of never leaving the house. There’s always just one more email to check or one more bit of digital housekeeping to do.
I’ve learned to be much firmer about keeping work time from spilling over into personal time, and this post is a good reminder about the benefits.

Yes, yes and yes on face-to-face interaction being irreplaceable. Eye contact is soul-food.

The long-term corollary of the importance of face-to-face seems silly and shallow at first but over the years turns out to be critical — can I suggest it be added to your good list? Here it is: *Take yourself soup-to-nuts clothes shopping at least annually.*

Yes it’s luxurious to “work in your pajamas” but after a few years the clothes that aren’t your pajamas don’t fit the same. What you cobble together to dash to the grocery or the library may frighten the poor counter staff. That kind of interaction can really spoil your daily face-to-face.

Enjoy magazines like a teenager figuring out mascara. Mark the calendar for a salon hair trim every 6 weeks. Have rain boots and an umbrella. It’s actually very fun!

Hurray for cottage workers, home crafters, and self-supporting spinsters all through history! Thank you Ms. Liz for making this terrific website!

Thanks for your comment – I have no idea what “soup to nuts clothes” are, but I have indeed updated my “working wardrobe” and I now have a range of knee length tube skirts and comfy plain tshirts for everyday summer editing and transcribing wear! I get my hair cut every UM weeks, but I do get it cut. Luckily my running club has regular social events as well as hanging out in lycra, which helps! Glad you like my website and thank you for taking the time to comment!